German Politicians Want Greece Out of Eurozone and Schengen

Two high-ranking German politicians expressed the opinion that Greece should be out of the Schengen zone and the Eurozone for a period of time.

Wolfgang Steiger, general secretary of the Economic Council of Germany’s conservative CDU party, stated that Greece is not showing the necessary zeal in implementing the reforms required by the bailout program. He said that it should be better if Greece left the Eurozone temporarily.

The German politician said that Greece is delaying reforms and missing timelines using the excuse of the refugee crisis. “Refugees is one thing, reforms is another,” he said to DPA news agency.

“The Eurozone finally needs clear rules for Member exit from the common currency and a process of declaring sovereign default,” Steiger said. “Athens will not abandon the “hide and seek” game it’s playing and will continue to mock its creditors,” he added.

Meanwhile, head of the parliamentary group of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament Manfred Weber, proposed Greece’s temporary exit from the Schengen zone.

In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, Weber stressed, inter alia, that “Greece does not protect its borders in accordance with the provisions of the Schengen Treaty and therefore violates European Law.”

Weber’s comments generated strong reactions among the Greek government and opposition parties alike. New Democracy lawmakers, who are affiliated with the conservative European People’s Party, criticized the German politician for his views.